Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Muke rocked the house

So, I took the boys to see Muke in concert tonight. They were playing as the opening band for Canoe at a friend's house. I knew my boys had too much energy for such an intimate setting, but I really adore the host, so I wanted to support his event. He assured me that the bands would be kid-friendly, so I decided to keep the boys up passed their bedtime and bring them along.

We were among the first people there, so we had a chance to watch the bands set up. Luke (the second half of Muke) was practicing his human-beatbox at a mic that he had already adjusted to his level. As more people began to arrive, my oldest boy, James, started to feel the need for some attention. Timidly, he whispered in my ear that he wanted to sing. I asked him if he wanted to warm up for Muke, and he said that he did. With pretend hesitation, James walked into the middle of the floor and tried to find a song to sing. It didn't take long before he realized that he didn't have a microphone and he started to tear-up because no one would be able to hear him. As time ticked away, he got even more upset that he wasn't getting a turn to sing. Finally, Muke took the stage and James retired to the couch were he quickly forgot about the stage and started flirting with a college hottie to his right.

Jackson, who had been running wild since we walked through the door, curled up on my lap and got ready for the music. It didn't take him long to realize that he had never heard the song before. I'm pretty sure the song was Barnacle Bay, and though they listen to it over and over in the car now, Jackson decided that he didn't like it...and he said so....loudly. I was mortified, because we were just a couple of feet across the hardwood floor from where the local band was standing. I tried my hardest to hush him up, but it didn't stop there. The second song, he asked if they would play over again, and during the third, he asked if it was time to go. I finally got Jackson into a positive mood, then Muke started playing a nice quiet, slow song. They weren't half way into it when Jackson tried to lift up my shirt. I turned him around and asked him to knock it off, but then he asked "Mommy, do you have a 'gina?"

I knew it was time to go!

Regrettably, we didn't get to see Canoe, but we had just enough time to buy a Muke CD and have Maddie and Luke sign it before we took off. Now, the boys ask to hear it in the car all the time, and we've added the "Hamburger Song" to our ipod playlist. The only frustrating thing is that there are two cute little characters on the album cover (which my boys identify as bears) so they keep asking me to play the "Bear Song"...but there is no "Bear Song" and no matter how many times I tell them that, they keep asking for it! Please, Muke, I beg you! Will you write a Bear Song?

During the live concert, Maddie confided in the audience that she wasn't feeling great. She had food poisoning and as a result her voice came out a bit weak, but the CD is fabulous. We love the Hamburger Song, not only for the tounge-in-cheek beauty of the lyrics, or the delicate double melody, but there's a great electrical rock solo at the end that gets me going every time I listen to it.

I really like Muke. I'll be excited to hear a few more songs with fun lyrics. Besides that, Maddie is absolutely gorgeous and beautiful to listen to as well. Did I mention that Luke has just about the best human-beatbox in the world? If you ever get the chance to buy a Muke album, I suggest you take it!

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